Bleaching apparatus.



W. B. LEWIS.

BLEAGHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION IILED NOV. 27, 1908.

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Patented May 18, 1909.

W. B. LEWIS.

BLEAOHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1903.

Patented May 18, 1909.

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BLEAGHING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 21, 190a.

921,853. Patentedmay 18,1909.

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'nnrran STATES PATENT enrich.

WARREN B. LEWIS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BLEAGHING- APPARATUS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN B. Lnwrs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and tate of Rhodeisland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BleachingApparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to apparatus for performing an initial step inbleaching cotton cloth, consisting of the removal ofnatural oils, gums,and other foreign matters from the fabric by boiling in an alkalinesolution. This removal is commonly performed by submerging the fabric inan open or closed keir wherein both the high temperature of thebleaching liquors and their circulation is maintained by the continuousand direct introduction of steam into the keir either above or below theliquors. This method involves the escape of quantities of steam and theuse of excessive heat, resulting in great waste and expense.

I have discovered by experiment that a moderate degree of heat issuflicient to loosen or dissolve foreign matters and insure thenecessary chemical combinations and changes; that the use of heat as acirculating agent is superfluous; and that the circulation may be moreefficiently and economically performed mechanically.

The essential objects of my invention are to convey the bleachingliquors from the bottom to the top of the keir; to automaticallyregulate the speed and volume of this transfer of liquors in accordancewith the rapidity of their percolation through the particular fabric inthe keir; to heat the liquors exteriorly of the keir and indeendently ofthe volume of liquors in circufittion and to attain these objects in asimple, efficient, and inexpensive structure.

To the above enumerated ends my invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention,showing the keir in longitudinal central section, Fig. 2, is a sideelevation of the float tank and adjacent parts, Fig. 3, a section of thesame on line a x of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4, a central longitudinal sectionof a modified form of keir.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 27, 1908.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Serial No. 464,514.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the form of my invention herein shown, 1 represents an open iron tankor keir provided with the usual false bottom or grating, 2, upon whichrests the fabric to be bleached, 3, submerged in alkaline liquors, 4. inthe floor of the keir is a drain pipe, 6, leading to an intermediateportion of a pipe, 7, one section of which, 8, leads to a sewer and isprovided with a valve, 9; and the other section of which, 10, isprovided with a valve, 11, and leads to the top of a horizontallydisposed cylindrical float tank, 13, of iron. Upon one end of this tankis mounted a sight glass, 14, by means of which the level of the liquorwithin the tank may be observed. In the top of the float tank is a ventpipe, 15, through which accumulated air may be expelled. Within the tankis a float, 16, pivoted to one end of a rod, 17, whose end is fixed to ahorizontal rock shaft, 18, passing through an opening, 19, in the sidewall of the tank in which it is rotatably mounted.

Upon the tank wall is fixed a stuffing box, 20, for the rock shaft. Theouter end of this shaft has fixed thereto an arm or lever, 22, to whosefree end is pivoted a vertical link or rod, 23, pivotally connected withthe end of a lever, 24. The opposite end of lever, 24, is connected by alink, 25, to an extension or lu 26, upon a globe valve, 27, of ahorizontal steam pipe, 28. Frictionally or otherwise fixed to orcontacting with the lever, 24, near its linked end is the verticallyslidable valve stem, 29, of the globe valve, 27. The steam pipe, 28,leads from any source of steam power to the cylinder, 30, of a pump, 31,and is provided with a valve, 33, for controlling the steam supply.

Leading from the bottom of the float tank to the pump below is a suctionpipe, 35. The pump discharge pipe, 36, connects the pump with the lowerportion of a heating tank, 37, and is )rovided intermediate its lengthwith a valve, 38. Mounted in the tank, 87, above the point of entranceof the pipe 36, is a heating coil, 39, upon the end of a steam pipe, 40,leading to any convenient source of steam supply, and having upon itslower end a drain pipe, 41, extending through the wall of the tank, 37This drain pipe has a stop cock, 42. The pipe, 40, is provided with avalve, 43. Leading from the heating tank at a point opposite to theentrance of pipe, 36, is a vertical pipe, 44, whose upper end is joinedto a horizontal pipe, 45, having upon its outer extremity a downwardlydirected pipe, 46, provided with a s raying nozzle, 47, upon its lowerend wit in the upper portion of the tank above the liquors. The pump isprovided with an exhaust pipe, 48.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of keir having a roof, 49, providedwith man-holes, 50, 51, covered with clamped plates, 52, 53.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The material to be operatedupon, 3, is placed in folds upon the grating, 2, within the bleachingliquors, 4. The'liquors pass by gravity through the pipes, 6 and 10,into the float tank, 13, and thence through pipe, 35, into the pump, 31.By the action of pump, 31, the liquors are forced through pipe, 36, intothe heating tank, 37, and thence through pipes, 44, 45 and 46, againstthe distributer, 47, whereby the liquor is returned to the interior ofthe keir in a broken stream. The volume and speed of travel of theliquor through the described circuit is automatically governed andregulated by the rapidity of the percolation of the liquors through thefabric in the keir, and the consequent volume of liquors accumulated inthe float tank, as follows: As the accumulation of liquors in the floattank increases, the float, 16, is gradually elevated thereby, whichmovement, communicated through rod, 17, shaft 18, lever 22, rod 23, andlever 24, elevates the valve stem, 29, and opens the valve, 27, therebyadmitting an increased volume of steam through pipe, 28, to the pump, bywhich means the action of the pump is accelerated, and the circulationof the liquors is proportionately increased. As the level of the liquorsin the tank, 13, descends the movement of the float and described valveconnections is reversed, and the valve gradually closes and diminishesthe speed of the pump. The moderate degree of heat required in theliquors for proper chemical action is furnished by the coils, 39, intank, 37, through which tank the liquors ass.

What I claim is:

1. In a bleaching apparatus, the combination with a circulation circuitembodying a heating device in circuit and means for delivering theliquors from said heating device into the keir, of a keir for theliquors within the circuit, a pump in the circuit for forcing theliquors through the circuit, and means in the circuit and operated bythe liquors for regulating the speed of the pump.

2. In a bleaching apparatus, the combination with a keir, of acirculation circuit leading from the bottom to the top of the keir, afloat tank in the circuit, a pump also in the circuit, a supply pipeupon the pump, a slidable valve in the pipe, a float in the tank, andoperative connections between the float and valve.

3. In a bleaching apparatus, the combina tion with a keir, of acirculation circuit lead ing from the bottom to the top of the keir, afloat tank in the circuit, a pump also in the circuit, a supply pipeupon the pump, a movable valve in the pipe, a float in the tank, andlever connections between the float and valve.

4. In a bleaching apparatus, the combination with a keir, of acirculation circuit leading from the bottom to the top of the keir, afloat tank in the circuit below the keir, a pump in the circuit belowthe tank, a supply pipe upon the pump adjacent the tank, a valve in thepipe, a rock shaft mounted in the wall of the tank, a rod upon the innerend of the shaft, a float upon the end of the rod, an arm upon the outerend of the rock shaft, a rod pivotally connected with the arm, a leverpivotally connected with the rod, a valve stem upon the lever enteringthe valve, and a link connecting the lever with the eX terior of thevalve.

5. In a bleaching apparatus, the combination with a keir, of acirculation circuit leading from the bottom to the top of the keir, afloat tank in the circuit below the keir, a pump in the circuit belowthe float tank, a supply pipe upon the pump, a slidable valve in thepipe, a float in the tank, operative connections between the float andvalve, and a heating tank in the circuit.

6. In a bleaching apparatus, the combination with a circulation circuit,of a keir and pump in the circuit, a heater for the liquors in saidcircuit a float tank also in the circuit, a float in the tank, and meansactuated by the float for regulating the speed of the pump.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WARREN B. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

HORATIO E. BELLOWS, JosErrr E. BURNS.

